affinage

In cheese making, the ripening of a cheese

affineur 

In cheese making, the person who oversees .the ripening of  cheeses

aioli  

A garlic mayonnaise popular in Provence.

aiguillettes 

Long, thin slices of breast meat of poultry or game birds.

ala carte  

Foods prepared to order; each dish priced separately.

al dente  

Firm yet yielding to the bite. Refers to vegetables or pasta.

allumettes 

Thin, finger-length hors d' oeuvres or petits fours made of puff pastry; also matchstick shapes;  usually refers to. potatoes. 3/16" x 3/16 x 2" or 3" In between julienne and battonet.

aperitif 

An alcoholic drink taken before meals to stimulate the appetite. They are generally dry, sometimes bitter and flavored with aromatic herbs.

a point 

Referring to a cheese which is perfectly ripe and ready to eat.

a sec  

Until dry.

au gratin 

Term applied to foods which have a crust formed by browning grated cheese and or bread crumbs on the surface.

au jus  

With natural pan juices.

au naturel 

Served in a natural' state or plainly cooked.

béchamel  

A sauce made by thickening milk with a roux. One of the five primary sauces made from roux

bain marie.

Water bath or double boiler; used for gentle cooking or for , keeping foods warm.

ballottine 

A piece of meat which is boned, stuffed and rolled into the shape of a bundle

barder

To wrap in thin slices of fat or bacon to protect meats with no natural fat cover while roasting.

barquettes

Small, oval-shaped tartlets or tart shells.

batonnet 

Vegetable stick 1/4 x 1/4 x 2 -2 1/2 inches.

beurrer

To rub with butter on a mould or dish.

beurre blanc 

A white butter sauce

beurre manie

Equal amounts of flour and raw butter kneaded together into a smooth paste. It is used as a thickening agent

blanc

A liquid for cooking or toasted vegetables. 5 parts water and flour to 1 part milk

blanchir  

To blanche.

bouquet garni 

used for flavoring. 6 parsley stems, 2 thyme twigs, 1 bay leaf, 6 peppercorns

Braiser 

To braise.

Brunoise

Cut into 1/8" x 1/8" dice

chinois  

A cone-shaped strainer. A very fine china cap.

clarifier

To clarify

cloute 

To stud or nail cloves into an onion. Toothpick stuck in meat to secure.

concassee 

Coarsely chopped.

confit 

Meat of pork, goose, duck etc. cooked in its own fat and preserved completely immersed in the same fat

consommé

Clear soup, made from clarified stock, served hot or chilled.

coulis

A pourable puree of vegetables, fruit or shellfish. Also, juices of cooked meat or poultry

court bouillon 

A poaching liquid made with water, aromatic vegetables, herbs and usually an acid. For fish or poultry.

couscous 

North African pasta, made from a paste of semolina and water, dried and ground.

crouton 

White bread cut in various shapes, fried or toasted.

crudites 

Raw vegetables served as an hors d 'oeuvre or relish. dame Slice of fish through the spine.

deglacer

To add liquid to heated pan to dilute caramelized food particles.

Darne

A thick cut from the center of the fish

degraisser

To skim or remove excess fat.

digestif 

An alcoholic drink taken after a meal, thought to aid digestion.

dorer

To brush with egg wash

duchesse

Potato preparation using a pastry bag with a star tip

duxelles 

A paste of finely chopped mushrooms and shallots, sautéed until dry .

en coquille

Cooked or served in the shell. Refers to shellfish.

Ecumer  

To remove the scum from a stock. To remove the impurities

emincer 

A thin slice at a 90° angle cut cross the grain

Emonder

To remove skin or seeds by blanching

en Pappillote

Wrapped in parchment in uniform size and baked   

entremettier

Chef responsible for vegetable preparation.

escalope  

A cross grain cut

espangnole 

1 of 5 primary sauces using a brown stock and tomatoes.

essences  

A single flavor

etamine

A cheese cloth used to strain

etuver

To sweat or stew

fariner

To hand coat with flour. Latin for flour

filet 

Tenderloin muscle of beef, veal, lamb or pork of a boneless piece fish.

filet mignon 

Small cut from the tenderloin.

fines herbes

Blend of, fresh herbs; chervil, tarragon, chives and often parsley.

flambe

To flame

fleurons 

A pastry cut in a crescent shape

foie gras 

Liver of specially fattened geese.

fond  

A stock or base

fouler 

To push with a ladle or to extract

friture  

Deep frying

Fumet

Fish stock.

gardemanger 

Department of a kitchen that prepares cold food -salads, buffet items

garniture

Components of a dish, sometimes ingredients, sometimes decorate often giving the name to a dish.

gastrique 

Caramelized sugars added to vinegar. Base for many sweet and sour sauces or relishes

gazpacho

A soup from Southern Spain made from pureed and chopped vegetables served cold.

gelee 

Aspic    Literally means jellied.

gratin

Crust formed on foods sprinkled with cheese and/or breadcrumbs browned, food prepared in this manner 

gratiner

To brown

griller

To grill, broil or barbeque.

grosse piece

Centerpiece of a buffet platter

hacher 

To chop.

hollandaise

1 of 5 primary sauces using butter and egg yolk.

hors d'oeuvre

Appetizer.

Infuser 

To infuse or inject with flavor

Julienne 

A cut in strips 1/8" x 1/8" x 2" or 3"

jus 

Juices from a roast.

jus lie  

Thickened juices from a roast.

larder

To insert strips of fat into meats low in marbling.

lardon

A strip of back fat or bacon used for larding. Coarsely or finely diced bacon cooked, used as garnish.

liaison 

Binding or thickening agent. Classically, egg yolks and cream.

lier

To thicken.

macedoine 

Mixture of raw or cooked fruit or vegetables. May also be a diced vegetables, 1/4" on each side

mandoline

A very fine slicer-cutter utensil

manier 

To do by hand or manually.

marsala 

A fortified wine, either sweet or semi-dry from Sicily.

medaillon 

Round or oval slice of meat or fish, circular cut.

mignonette

Cracked peppercorn. A side sauce for oysters made with white .

mirepoix 

An aromatic blend of vegetables used for stocks

mise en place

Put in place

monter  

To stir

monter au beurre 

To stir in butter.

mouiller

To cover with liquid.

nappe  

The desired consistency of a sauce

napper  

To test for the thickness of a stock on the back of the spoon.

pate 

Meat or fish dishes enclosed in pastry and baked. Served hot or cold

Pappillote

The little frilly paper placed on the end of bones.

paupiette

Thin slice of meat or fish wrapped around a stuffing or forcemeat.

paysanne 

A rough peasant style cut.

pilaf 

Rice that has first been cooked in fat the simmered in stock or other liquid, usually with onions and or seasonings.

Pocher

To poach.

prix fixe 

Refers to a menu with set items sometimes offering a choice of entree, appetizer, and dessert. Literally, fixed price

Provencial

Refers to anything from the region of Provence in France.

quenelle 

A protein dumpling made wine, vinegar, cracked peppercorn and from a mousseline and bound with eggs

ramequin 

A small round cooking dish. Usually ceramic with straight sides.

radicchio 

Red chicory, commonly small and round with wrinkly leaves and a bitter taste.

ragout 

French term for stew.

remouillage

Re-cooking to reduce a stock.

remouiller

To rewet or recover with water .

restaurateur 

A person who owns or operates a restaurant.

risotto 

An Italian rice dish made with Arborio rice cooked in butter, with onions, wine and stock to which may be added other ingredients.

roux 

Flour and fat, cooked, used as a binding or thickening agent

Ruban

A thickness consistent with a ribbon. With ribbon-like thickness.

sachet 

A mixture of herbs and spices tied in a cheesecloth bag.

savory 

A general term used to refer to foods that are the opposite of sweet.

souffle

A dish either sweet or savory , made of pureed ingredients thickened with egg yolks, and with stiffly beaten egg whites folded in and baked in a soufflé dish.

singer 

To sprinkle or dust with flour

terrine

Earthenware container for cooking, also the food prepared in it. A terrine is made without a crust and is usually barded with back fat.

veloute

A white stock made with a blonde roux

vapeur 

To steam

vanner

Aerate by stirring.

vinaigrette

Mixture of oil and vinegar seasoned with salt and pepper

zest

The colored, aromatic skin of citrus fruits.